Reclosable folding carton and blank therefor



"Aug. 20, 1968 c. L. CHAMPLIN RECLOSABLE FOLDING CARTON AND BLANK THEREFOR Filed Sept. 12; 1966 Fig.3

Fig. 4.

- INVENTOR. CHARLES L.- CHAMPL/N Fig.2.

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SEIBOLD 8 WILLIAMS ATTORNEYS United States Patent M 3,397,833 RECLOSABLE FOLDING CARTON AND BLANK THEREFOR Charles L. Champlin, Rittman, Ohio, assiguor to Packaging Corporation of America, Evanston, 11]., a corporation of Delaware Filed Sept. 12, 1966, Ser. No. 578,782 3 Claims. (Cl. 229-51) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A folding carton provided with a reclosable flap formed from one side wall of the carton. The flap includes a foldable extension having a first portion severable from the carton glue panel and a laminated second portion severable from an adjacent side wall. An unsevered portion of the glue panel and the adjacent side wall cooperating to retain the foldable extension and flap in reclosed position.

Background of the invention Various cartons for such use have heretofore been proposed, however, because of their particular design they are of complex and costly construction, difficult to set up with conventional equipment, and/or are ineffective in retaining the reclosing flap in a closed position subsequent to its being initially opened.

Thus, it is one of the objects of this invention to provide a reclosable folding carton which is not beset with the aforenoted shortcomings associated with prior cartons of this general type.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a blank for a reclosable folding carton which is of simple design, may be readily formed on high speed apparatus, and adhesive may be applied to various portions thereof with conventional gluing equipment.

It is a still further object of this invention to provide a blank for a reclosable folding carton which results in but a minimum of material waste.

Further and additional objects will appear from the description, accompanying drawing, and appended claims.

Summary of the invention closure flaps which cooperate with one another to form vi top and bottom end walls. The one sidewall to which the glue panel is foldably connected is provided with a pair of spaced tear scores which extend angularly thereacross and define'a reclosable flap. The corresponding one ends of the tear scores terminate at the foldline connection for the glue panel. The glue panel is provided with a first slit, the ends of which coincide with said one ends of said tear scores and define a first folding tab. The glue panel is also provided with second slits which define a folding second tab. The folding axes of said first and second tabs are in spaced substantially parallel relation.

The second side wall, which overlies and is connected to the glue panel, is provided along its marginal portion with a rupturable score which defines a tuck flap. The tuck flap is in registration with and is secured to the first tab formed in the glue panel. Upon a depressing force being initially applied to the exposed surface of the tuck flap, the latter is severed from the second side wall whereupon the reclosable flap with the first tab and tuck flap attached thereto can be readily torn to an open 3,397,833 Patented Aug. 20, 1968 position with one side of the reclosable flap remaining hingedly connected to the carton. Upon reclosing of the reclosable flap, the tuck flap will 'be engaged by the second tab of the glue panel and said tuck flap will become interlocked with a remaining portion of the second side wall.

Description For a more complete understanding of this invention reference should be made to the drawing, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of one form of the improved reclosable folding carton prior to initial opening of the reclosable flap or with the reclosable flap locked in its fully closed position:

FIG. 2 is similar to FIG. 1 but on a slightly larger scale and showing the reclosable flap in a partial open position;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary top plan view of a blank for the carton shown in FIG. 1; and

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary top plan view of the blank of FIG. 1, but shown in a collapsed tubular condition suitable for storage with a plurality of similar empty cartons.

Referring now to the drawing and more particularly to FIG. 3, a blank 10 formed of suitable sheet material, e.g. paperboard, is shown which is adapted to be set up to form a carton 11, see FIG. 1. 'Blank 10 in the illustrated embodiment includes side walls or panels 12, 13, 14, and 15 which are arranged in side-by-side relation and are foldably interconnected. Side walls 13 and 15 are relatively narrow and are arranged in alternate relation with wider side walls 12 and 14.

Connected by foldline 16 to an elongated side edge of panel 15 is a glue panel 17 which extends substantially the full height of panel 15. Glue panel 17 is adapted to have an adhesive coating 18 applied to substantially the entire one surface thereof whereby said panel 17 may be bonded to the interior surface of panel 12 so as to form either a collapsed tubular member, as seen in FIG. 4 or an erected tubular member. The empty carton when in a collapsed tubular form, FIG. 4, is in condition to be readily stacked with other like carton either for storage or bulk shipment.

End closure flaps 20 annd 21 are foldably connected to the top and bottom edges, respectively, of panels 12-15 and form a seal end carton when the blank 10 is set up, as shown in FIG. 1. Prior to flaps 20 being folded to an overlapping closed position and subsequent to flaps 21 being folded to form the closed bottom of the carton, the product to be accommodated in the carton is deposited therein. The setting up and filling of the carton are usually accomplished with automatic equipment.

Panel 15, adjacent its upper end is provided with a pair of spaced tear scores 22 which extend thereacross and define a reclosable flap 23. The corresponding one ends of scores 22 terminate at the foldline connection 16 between side wall 15 and glue panel 17. The other corresponding ends of scores 22 terminate at the foldline connection 24 between side walls 14 and 15.

Glue panel 17 is provided with a first slit 25, which in the illustrated embodiment is C-shaped and has the ends thereof terminating at the junctures of the tear score ends and foldline 16. Slit 25 defines a first tab 26 which is foldably connected to the free edge of reclosable flap 23 and is carried thereby once the flap has been initially opened, see FIG. 2. Glue panel 17 is also provided with second slits 27 which define a retainer second tab 28.

It will be noted in FIG. 3 that tab 26 has only the center portion A thereof coated with an adhesive. Retainer tab 28, portions of tab 26 above and below area A, and portions above and below and to one side of tab 28 cooperate with one another to form a C-shaped adhesive-free of adhesive is provided between area B and the outer edge of panel 17. Thus, by reason of strip 30 there is a continuous adhesive bond throughout the length of glue panel 17.

The marginal portion 12a of panel 12 which is adapted to overlie and be bonded to glue panel 17, see FIG. 4, is provided with rupturable score 31 which cooperates with the elongated edge of panel 12 to define a tuck flap 32. It will be noted in FIG. 2 by reason of adhesive area A on glue panel tab 26 that tuck flap 32 remains attached to tab 26 once the reclosable flap 23 is initially opened. The configuration of tuck flap 32 is such that it projects beyond the elongated edge of tab 26, see FIG. 2. The projecting portion 32a of the tuck flap has a greater vertical dimension than the portion 32b which is adjacent foldline 16. By reason of this dimensional differential, one end of portion 32a forms an upright shoulder 32c which is adapted to fit behind a depending shoulder 12b formed in the marginal portion 12a of side wall 12 and effect interlocking of the tuck flap with respect to side walls 12 and thereby retain the reclosable flap 23 in a closed position as shown in FIG. 1.

In order to facilitate the retention of flap 32 in its interlocking position, tab 28 engages the concealed side of the projecting portion 32a of the tuck flap 32 and thus maintain shoulders 32c and 12b in substantial coplanar, abutting, interlocking relation. In instances where heavy gauge material is used in forming the blank 10, retainer tab 28 may be omitted,

It is to be understood of course that the shape, size, and location of the reclosable flap 23, tab 26, and tuck flap 32 may be readily varied from that shown without departing from the scope of this invention.

Thus, it will be seen that a carton and blank therefor having an improved reclosable feature has been provided which facilitates opening and reclosing of the carton, enables the blank to be readily glued and set up to form a carton by use of high speed automatic equipment and does not detract to any appreciable extent from the exterior appearance of the carton.

While a particular embodiment of this invention has been described above, further modifications may be made thereto and it is contemplated, therefore, by the appended claims, to cover any such modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of this invention.

I claim:

1. A reclosable folding carton comprising a plurality of foldably connected side Walls, a glue panel foldably connected to the side edge of one side wall and connected to the interior surface of a second side wall whereby said side walls cooperate to form a tubular member, and a plurality of end flaps foldably connected to opposite end edges of said side walls and cooperating with one another to form closure end walls; said one side wall being provided with a pair of spaced tear scores extending angularly thereacross and defining a foldable reclosure flap, each tear score having an end thereof terminating at the foldarea -B. It is important to note that a narrow strip 30 ing connection between said glue panel and said one side wall, said glue panel being provided with a first slit having ends thereof spaced apart and terminating at the folding connection for said glue panel and cooperating therewith to form a tab; said second side wall being provided with a tear score delimitinga tuck flap, said tuck flap being in registered relation with and bonded to said glue panel tab and'severable' from said second'side panel when said reclosable flap is initially moved to an open position with respect to said second side panel, saidtuck flap having a substantial portion thereof projecting beyond said glue panel tab, the vertical dimension of said tuck flap projecting portion being greater than the corresponding dimension of the tuck flap bonded to said glue flap tab, said glue panel having a hinged portion adjacent said tab and in contact with but not secured to said second side wall and cooperating therewith for retaining said tuck flap when said reclosable flap is in a reclosed position with respect to said one side wall.

2. The carton of claim 1 wherein the glue panel hinged portion has a hinge axis spaced from and substantially parallel to the folding connection between said glue panel and said one side wall.

3. A blank of foldable sheet material for a reclosable folding carton, comprising a plurality of side wall panels foldably connected to one another and arranged inside-byside relation, a glue panel foldably connected to the side edge of one of the side wall panels for securem-ent to the interior surface of a second side wall panel to form a tubular member when said blank is set up to form a carton, and end closure flaps foldably connected to the end edges of said side wall panels; the one side wall panel to which said glue panel is connected being provided with a pair of spaced elongated, angularly extending tear scores defining a reclosable flap, one end of each tear score terminating at the foldline connection for said glue panel; said glue panel being provided with a slit the ends of which terminate at said glue panel folding connection and define a tab; said glue panel being provided with second slits which define a hingedly mounted retainer flap with an edge thereof coincident with but shorter than an edge of said glue panel tab; said second side wall panel having a rupturable score formed in the marginal portion thereof, and defining a tuck flap which is adapted to overlay the glue panel and be in registration with and project beyond the glue panel tab when saidblank is set up.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,712,249 5/1929 'Byrne 22951 X 1,988,582 1/1935 Weiss 229l7 X 2,069,281 2/ 1937 Sebreny 229l7 2,651,450 9/1953 Ellsworth 229--51 X 3,085,733 4/1963 Umanoff 229l7 3,104,793 9/1963 Hickin 229l7 3,203,616 8/1965 Bolton 22951 X DAVIS T. MOORHEAD, Primary Examiner. 

